<![CDATA[Title: In Darkness
Author: Jenna Caplan (ZzariarazZ@aol.com)
Archive: anywhere, just keep my name and addy attached
Spoilers: none
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: They're not mine, they belong to 1013. No infringement intended.
Author's note: This is pretty angsty, because at one point, a character dies.
Also, in this universe, Mulder and Scully are together as a couple, but
aren't married or anything.
Feedback is so incredibly wonderful: I love it!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In Darkness 1/1
-------------
\Turn on the lights\
Two minutes later. Two minutes later and we wouldn't have burst in on them;
those men, in the dark-
\Damn this key- there. Turn on the lights\
Turn on the lights, he said. I never had a chance- the loud noise and the
flash of light and his weight falling into me as I gasped and dropped to the
floor. And then the blood, his blood, on my hands, except I couldn't see in
the dark so I blindly pressed my hands over the wound, trying to stop the
bleeding, and said his name again and again as men jumped over me and out the
door.
The adrenaline burned and I didn't even realize he was dead until I finally
listened to him and turned on the lights; then I whispered his name as the
world ground to a shuddering stop. His eyes were too dark, and that's how I
knew; they were too dark and lifeless. I imagined him sitting up, breathing,
talking, but the illusion spawned by my hysteria melted away, and I laid down
next to him in a pool of his blood and just breathed, unbelieving.
Turn on the lights, he said, but I never had a chance, and when I did, his
life was already gone. I watched my tears drip off my face, reflected in the
blood; I expected them to make ripples when they fell, but they didn't,
because his blood was too thick. It was warm, too, and I bathed in it, swam
in it, his life.
I started talking to him, like he was still alive, so that the blood would
seem superficial. Well, I guess I should call 911, huh? I said. Let's get up,
I said. Take a shower. Order pizza.
He didn't answer.
I was scared then, scared that I was going crazy, and scared that he really
was dead, that I'd have to wake up alone tomorrow. I raised myself up on one
elbow and pushed him, really hard, and said his name with a tremble in my
voice.
He didn't answer.
I screamed his name, over and over, scrabbling to get up and get help, but
slipping in all the blood, until finally I braced myself on his chest to use
the friction from his shirt-
-and felt a heartbeat.
A cold flood went through me. I raised my arm high and brought the heel of my
palm down hard on his chest, thumping him clear off the floor, trying to make
the weak heartbeat stronger, but it weakened,
and weakened,
and died.
I stood up and clutched the doorframe, screaming into the hall for help, but
no one came. He died before me, with nothing I could do.
I walked over to him and looked down. His hair was matted with blood, so I
leaned down and smoothed it for him. Then my sobs broke loose and I just
hugged him and rocked on my knees as I wept. I crawled on top of his arm and
laid down, pulling his other arm over me, and leaning my head on his chest. I
closed my eyes.
And opened them.
I'm still in his arms, only I feel him breathing against me, and his arms are
holding me tightly. The hard wooden floor of his apartment foyer is gone,
replaced by the softness and comfort of my bed.
He's alive.
Alive.
Relief trails its way down my cheeks in tiny rivulets, making wet tracks on
my face. It was a dream. I was dreaming. The fact that he's alive is enough
for me to start sobbing, and I raise my hands to his face and just touch it,
feeling the smooth skin of his nose and eyelids and forehead.
He must feel my fingers because he opens his eyes. They search my face in
confusion for a moment before focusing on the drying tears and contract in
alarm.
"Scully, what's wrong?" he whispers.
I shake my head, unable to answer. He moves his arm to turn on the light-
And never has a chance as I roll closer and kiss him.
----------------------------
end 1/1
----------------
Feedback is welcome and greatly appreciated at ZzariarazZ@aol.com
]]>